General Information

BEACH SKILLS – BEACH SAFETY – BEACH FUN!

What is Junior Surf?

Junior Surf promotes surf lifesaving through teaching junior members about surf awareness, safety, skills, lifeguarding and competition, while having fun and enjoying the beach.

Red Beach Surf Lifesaving Club runs a hugely successful Junior Surf Programme for four to 13-year-olds that creates a wonderful social and fun environment on the beach, leading to lasting friendships. The main objective is for children to have fun and gain confidence – whether this is through participating in training and club activities, or extending themselves by competing at carnivals.

Two strands: Education and Sport

The Junior Surf Programme at Red Beach has two strands: education, which teaches kids how they can keep themselves and their friends safe at the beach; and sport, which allows them to pursue surf lifesaving as a competitive sport.

The two strands combine to give children well-rounded skills on both the sand and in the sea, as well as the flexibility to enjoy surf lifesaving as a fun, beach activity or to compete at the highest levels. Red Beach is currently the top-ranked junior club in the Northern Region and, at last season’s Ocean’s, our junior team placed fourth in New Zealand.

Over time, youngsters develop lifesaving skills such as board paddling, beach running, catching waves and rescuing patients. A more detailed breakdown of the skills taught can be found on the Age Group Skill Levels page and information on the junior training programme can be found on the Training & Coaching page.

Get the whole family involved

Red Beach Surf Life Saving Club has more than 1,200 members, including around 400 junior lifeguards, and the clubhouse, which offers fantastic views of the beach, is the heart of the local community. There are many opportunities to socialise with other parents and club members at the clubhouse, the annual Junior Camp at Mangawhai Heads, or one of the club fundraising events throughout the year.

Surf lifesaving is also very much a family activity – it relies on active parent involvement at the junior level and many parents decide to become officials, lifeguards or to compete at Master’s level themselves. Please take the time to learn about the many ways you can support the Junior Surf Programme on our Volunteering page.

Download the Red Book, which contains everything you know for the coming season, including the 2018/19 Junior Calendar.